The
key elements for effective health and safety management are similar
to those considered in good quality, finance and general business
management. The principles of good and effective management provide a
sound basis for the improvement of health and safety performance. The
key elements involved in a successful health and safety management
system are:

Policy

Organizing

Planning
and Implementing

Measuring
performance

Reviewing
performance

Auditing

Policy

A
clear health and safety policy is essential for business efficiency
and continuous improvement throughout the operation. The
policy should state the decision of the organization in terms of
clear aims, objectives and targets.

Organizing

A
well-defined organization is an essential component of a positive
health and safety culture. An effective organization will be noted
for good staff involvement and participation, high quality
communications, the promotion of competency, and the empowerment and
commitment of all employees to make informed contributions.

Planning
and implementing

An
effective health and safety plan involves the setting and
implementation of performance standards, targets and procedures. The
plan is based on risk assessment methods in order to set priorities
and objectives for the effective control or elimination hazards and
the reduction of risks. Measuring success requires the establishment
of practical plans and performance targets against which achievements
can be identified.

Measuring
performance

Include
both active and reactive monitoring to see the effectivity of the
health and safety management system. Active monitoring involves
looking at the premises, the people, procedures and systems. Reactive
monitoring discovers through investigation of accidents and incidents
why controls have failed. Measure the organization against its own
long term goals and objectives is also important.

Reviewing
performance

The
results of monitoring should be systematically reviewed to evaluate
the performance of the management system against the objectives and
targets established by the health and safety policy. Comparisons
should be made with internal performance indicators and if it is
possible with external performance indicators of similar
organizations.